Cam Pickett doesn’t sound like a player who’s looking back at Kansas football’s 2025 season and moving on. He sounds like a guy who’s carrying it with him.
That’s part of why the redshirt senior wide receiver is back in Lawrence for 2026. Pickett, a former Ball State transfer, said he has unfinished business with the Jayhawks after a disappointing year.
He likes Kansas. He trusts the coaches.
He enjoys the fan base. And after too many close losses last season, he knows exactly where the team has to tighten things up.
Pickett also enters this season in a different place than he was a year ago. He finished tied for first on the team in receptions last season and second in receiving yards, and now he says he feels more settled at Kansas after going through spring ball and summer workouts.
The routine is familiar now. The situations are familiar now.
To him, it already feels like he’s been around longer than one year.
That comfort matters in a wide receiver room that Pickett sees as one of the more interesting parts of the roster. He’s noticed younger players who are eager to learn and willing to put in the work.
He also singled out redshirt senior Nik McMillan, a transfer from Buffalo, and senior Nahzae Cox, a transfer from Middle Tennessee, as two newcomers who have stood out. Redshirt junior Keaton Kubecka is another player Pickett believes is hungry for a strong season.
Pickett also expects Kansas’ offense to have a familiar feel in some ways, even with changes mixed in. Andy Kotelnicki is back on staff as associated head coach, and Pickett believes the offense can take another step with him involved. His read on the unit is simple: it should be explosive, and there are enough playmakers around to make that happen.
One player Pickett pointed to is junior running back Dylan Edwards, a transfer from Kansas State. Pickett said Edwards has stood out because he can line up in different spots and affect the game from anywhere.
In Pickett’s view, that kind of versatility makes life easier for everyone else on offense. He described Edwards as fast, elusive and very smart with the game.
Pickett also sees a bigger role coming for sophomore wide receiver Tate Nagy. Fans know Nagy from his work as the lead punt returner last season, but Pickett thinks there’s more coming on offense.
He likes Nagy’s ability to work from the slot, his hands and the way he can win tough catches. He also said Nagy finds ways to get open.
And then there’s the London trip.
Kansas’ Sept. 19 game against Arizona State will be played in London and shown on FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” show, and Pickett is clearly looking forward to it. He said he understands the history of Wembley Stadium, and with the 2026 FIFA World Cup going on right now, he’s thinking about the soccer stars who’ve played there. For him, getting to take the field in that venue will be a thrill.
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